What Is Wood Stove Burning? What Are The Benefits And How To Utilize I…

EPA-Certified Wood Stoves May Not Meet Your Health and Safety Standards

Many communities have offered financial incentives to replace old wood stoves with EPA certified models that emit less pollutants. Undark discovered that some of the newer stoves may not meet EPA standards.

In the midst of rising energy costs, cities are seeking ways to reduce wood burning, especially in areas where air quality is poor. Here are 10 strategies to improve indoor air quality, and get more heat out of each log.

Efficiency

Wood stoves are one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. Modern EPA certified wood stoves burn up logs quickly and produce less creosote compared to older models. This lets you use more of the energy in your fire and reduce your heating costs by up to 30 percent. The efficiency of wood stoves grows over the lifetime of the stove when you only use seasoned hardwood.

Older wood stoves usually have efficiency of 50 percent or less. This means that half the potential energy in the fire is lost when carbon monoxide and smoke are released into the atmosphere. Modern stoves can achieve efficiency of up to 85 percent or more, which is comparable to the efficiencies of oil and gas furnaces.

Wood stoves can be made more efficient by controlling the airflow combustion, fuel, and processes. Wood stoves that have controlled airflow can slow the speed at which the flame moves through the wood, allowing gases produced to remain hot and fully burn.

Modern wood stoves are able to recycle the byproducts of incomplete combustion to create a new fire that burns more efficiently. This process is known as reburn, and can boost wood stove burning efficiency by as much as 10 percent.

Wood is also carbon-neutral, which is another advantage. As trees develop they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen when burned. Wood is also an environmentally sustainable resource, particularly when it comes from local woodlands that are managed in a manner that encourages the growth of healthy trees.

Cleanliness

Cleaning and maintaining wood stoves is essential for keeping homes warm. In the United States, 8.8 million households utilize wood stoves. A dirty stove or flue pipe can be a fire hazard and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Clean chimneys, stoves and flue pipes are also more efficient.

Cleaning the ashes is the primary task you can do when cleaning your wood stove. Wear protective gloves and wait until the stove is cool down. Select a metal container large enough to hold all the ashes, and dump them outdoors away from anything that might cause a fire. You can also add the ashes to your compost to make a healthy addition to you garden.

While the ashes have been removed from the stove, you can sweep the floor to eliminate any dust. It is also a great idea to leave at least three feet between your wood stove, and any combustible items like pillows or curtains. This will stop the fire from getting out of control and burning these items.

As for the inside of your stove, a clean glass door allows you to enjoy a view of the flames dancing and help you know when it's time to start a new fire. Make sure you have glass cleaner in your kitchen to clean any smudged or tarred areas that may be present. If the glass is extremely dirty, you can make use of newspaper soaked in ash and water to clean it. Avoid scratching the glass as this could cause it to shrink and break when heated.

The accumulation of creosote within your chimney flue is one the main causes of chimney fires. Creosote is extremely flammable, which is why a layer of even a few millimeters can cause an explosion in your chimney. Clean your flue often particularly if you are burning pine or other soft woods that generate more creosote than other kinds of wood.

Burn only seasoned, dry wood that has been split in half or smaller. Never burn fake trash, logs or other items in your wood stove.

Safety

Wood stoves are known to produce extremely harmful gases, including carbon monoxide and particulates. These toxins can enter your home and can have negative health effects on older adults, children or those suffering from respiratory issues such as asthma or COPD. Smoke from wood over time can cause heart disease and eventually lung damage.

To reduce the risk of these issues It is crucial to follow the proper methods for burning wood on your stove. This includes ensuring that the stove is operating correctly and has sufficient heat output for the room size and design. Additionally only dry, well-seasoned hardwoods should be burned in the stove. The moisture content should be below 20 percent. If the moisture content of the wood is higher the fire will burn faster and produce an smoky flame with more creosote buildup on the chimney vent pipe's wall.

Another important safety issue is to ensure that the stove has a good draw by monitoring the amount of air flowing through the firebox and the chimney. The owner's manual will give specific instructions on how to adjust air flow in most modern wood burning stove stoves. When you operate the air controls correctly, you can ensure the highest efficiency in heating.

The flue pipe and chimney must be free of all materials that could ignite, including drapes, paper or trash. Insufficient clearance between combustibles as well as wood-burning appliances is the most common cause of house fires caused by wood stoves.

It is also important to keep children out of wood burning stoves stoves while the fire is in progress or when ashes are being removed. Kids are naturally curious and may try to touch the hot surfaces of a wood stove, or place their hands into the flame. Install a child-proof fence around the fireplace or use a fireplace screen. It is also important to inspect the fireplace and wood stove often for signs of wear and tear.

Finally, it is essential to have your stove and chimney professionally inspected once per year for accumulation of creosote, bird nests and other problems that can affect the safety of your chimney and stove. This will help avoid fires and health hazards as well as reducing the need for smoke or carbon monoxide remediation.

Maintenance

Wood stoves are a great way to reduce the cost of heating, however they need some additional maintenance. If you don't perform the necessary maintenance on your wood stove, it can result in a fire which escapes the flue, which could lead to a chimney fire, or even an unintentional house fire. In addition to cleaning the chimney and cleaning the stove, you need to sweep and clean the surfaces in the stove and flue. Keep a fire extinguisher at your desk and check it frequently. It is also a good idea to put smoke detectors throughout the home, especially one in the room that houses the stove.

As a rule you should clean the chimney and stove at least once per year. Cleaning schedules need to be adjusted depending on how often the stove is used. It is possible to clean it more frequently in winter. It is also important to use only seasoned and dry wood for burning in the stove. It is best to avoid using a lot of oil or kerosene for starting the fire, as these fuels burn differently and create toxic gases that can be very dangerous to your health.

During your regular cleaning, you should inspect the gaskets of your doors. They are typically made of a braided material that can degrade over time. If you find that the gasket is loose and needs to be repaired, buy a replacement gasket made of fiberglass and adhesive. The hinges of these doors must be inspected as well.

Chimneys and flues should be inspected to ensure they are free of creosote build-up and obstructions. During the inspection, check for cracks, and other indications of damage to the chimney lining. Stovepipes must also be inspected, and any dents should be repaired.

It is crucial to clean the glass door of your wood stove. This can be accomplished easily with a mix of ammonia and water. The solution should be wiped onto the glass using a rag or sponge. For tougher staining, you can leave the solution in place for a couple of minutes before wiping again.